Doctoral student in Media and Communication Studies: The future of work with AI-infused platforms in digital and creative industries

Malmö University is an innovative, urban, and internationally-oriented academic institution that, thanks to its committed and experienced staff, contributes to societal development. Here, teachers, researchers, and other employees with various competencies work together to conduct high-quality education and research. All professional categories and roles are important. You are welcome to apply for a job with us!

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We are looking for   

One Doctoral student in Media and Communication Studies (MKV) in a collaboration between The Faculty of Technology and Society (TS) and The Faculty of Culture and Society (KS). The doctoral student will be employed at the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology (DVMT) and will be admitted to the doctoral programme in Media and Communication Studies at the School of Arts and Communication (K3).

Work duties   

Those appointed to doctoral studentships shall primarily devote themselves to their studies. Those appointed to doctoral studentships may, however, work to a limited extent with educational tasks, research, artistic research and administration, however, duties of this kind may not comprise more than 20 per cent of a full-time post (Chapter 5, Section 2 of the Higher Education Ordinance). 

The doctoral education concludes with a doctoral degree and comprises 240 credits, which corresponds to four years of full-time study. The programme consists of courses and an independent research project that is presented in a doctoral thesis. As a doctoral student, you will be expected to play an active part in the research and educational environment and, when applicable, in the research programmes of the Department/School.

The doctoral student will be employed at the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology and will be working in close collaboration with senior staff in the Digital Work Futures Research Lab (DWF), funded by the Swedish Research Council (grant number 2023-0067). See overall project description below. They will also participate in the Media and Communication studies research environment at the School of Arts and Communication as part of their doctoral programme. 

This position should specifically address questions related to how emerging technologies are impacting work practices within digital and creative industries. More specifically, it should focus on how professionals in the digital and creative industries experience, anticipate, and adopt emerging and evolving AI-infused platforms. The doctoral student will conduct theoretical and empirical research in an independently constructed project that closely aligns with the DWF research concerns of the sociotechnical construction of emerging technologies; ethical and organizational impact; and the changing patterns of consumption and use of emerging technologies. Whilst required to ensure their work fits broadly within the overall research environment, the doctoral student will also complete research demonstrating scholarly independence.

Qualifications   

To be admitted to third-cycle studies, the applicant must meet the general and specific entry requirements of the subject in question. Moreover, the applicant must be deemed capable of assimilating the education. 

General entry requirements for doctoral education (HEO Chapter 7, section 39) will be met by those who have:

• Been awarded a second-cycle qualification,
• Satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or
• Acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

The specific entry requirements stipulate that the applicant has acquired the knowledge and skills equivalent to a second-cycle degree in Media and Communication Studies or in another subject relevant to the programme, or has the equivalent knowledge acquired within or outside the country.

Selection criteria 

Selection among applicants who meet the general and specific entry requirements shall be made with regard to their capacity to assimilate the education (HEO Chapter 7 Section 41). 

General selection criteria

• Independent analysis and approach in previous work
• Problem formulation and precision in previous work and research plans
• Methodological and scholarly maturity
• Communication and cooperation skills

Project-specific selection criteria

• Experience in ethnography or other qualitative research methods.
• Strong interest in and experience with the digital and creative industries, including their work practices, and in the social scientific study of emerging technologies and digital work environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, preferably also with proficiency in Swedish or another Scandinavian language.
• Ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary research setting.
• Scientific and methodological rigour and relevance of the research plan to the Digital Work Futures environment.

Faculty, Department and Research environment   

The Faculty of Technology and Society

The Faculty of Technology and Society conducts education and research focusing on technology and natural sciences at two departments: Computer Science and Media Technology and Materials Science and Applied Mathematics. The faculty collaborates with companies and other organisations in order to raise the level of competence, create new products, develop activities and offer students an early connection to their future working life. Our research collaborations and staff from many different countries give our activities an international profile. Read more about the Faculty of Technology and Society here.

The Department of Computer Science and Media Technology

The Department of Computer Science and Media Technology offers research-linked education at first-cycle, second-cycle and doctoral levels. The department conducts research in computer science, information systems, software engineering and media technology. We are interested in research and education areas such as artificial intelligence, digital media, e-health, internet of things, societal consequences of digitalization and game development. Read more about the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology here

Faculty of Culture and Society

The Faculty of Culture and Society is a multidisciplinary faculty that includes three departments: the Department of Global Political Studies (GPS) the School of Arts and Communication and the Department of Urban Studies (US). The Faculty conducts doctoral studies in the following subjects: Global Politics, Interaction Design, International Migration and Ethnic Relations, Media and Communication Studies, Organisation Studies, and Urban Studies. The Faculty hosts two of the university’s five research centres. Read more about the Faculty of Culture and Society here.

The School of Arts and Communication

The School of Arts and Communication has around 100 employees and 1,100 students, and we offer interdisciplinary doctoral education in media, culture, and design. Here, scientific and academic theory and methods are combined with artistic and practical elements. In terms of organisation, the department contains three units: Design, Humanities, Language and Cultural Production, and Media and Communication Studies.

Many of our teachers and researchers are active in research groups and networks such as Comics Research, Art-Based Research, Nordic Network for Research on Working-Class Literature, Oral History, and research programmes such as the Data Society as well as the research platforms Rethinking Democracy, Medea and Collaborative Future Making and the Internet of Things and People (IoTaP). There are two research subjects at K3: Interaction Design and Media and Communication Studies. Read more about the School of Arts and Communication here.

Research project

The Digital Work Futures Research Lab (DWF), funded by the Swedish Research Council (grant number 2023-00676), is expanding by recruiting two doctoral students: one in Media and Communication Studies and one in Interaction Design. Our interdisciplinary lab investigates how digital transformations are shaping the future of work within the digital and creative industries. We employ a specialised ethnographic methodology designed to advance both theoretical and methodological scholarship in this rapidly evolving field.

Our research focuses on understanding how digital professionals engage with and adapt to AI-infused platforms, influencing their work environments and future trajectories. By examining the ways in which these professionals adopt and adapt to emerging technologies, we aim to provide a grounded analysis of digitalisation’s essential aspects, moving beyond sensationalised narratives. We are especially interested in how digital innovations are reshaping the spatial and temporal distribution of work within digital and creative industries.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a growing body of knowledge that captures the societal impacts of digitalisation as they develop. The selected doctoral candidates will play a crucial role in shaping our understanding of digital work futures and their broader implications for society.

Further information   

Martin Berg, Professor of Media Technology, PI Digital Work Futures, martin.berg@mau.se

Bahtijar Vogel, Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, bahtijar.vogel@mau.se

Sara Leckner, Head of Unit, Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, sara.leckner@mau.se

Tina Askanius, Professor in Media and Communication Studies. Doctoral Education Coordinator at K3, tina.askanius@mau.se  

In our recruitment work, Malmö University has taken a stand regarding recruitment channels and marketing. We therefore decline all offers of advertising and recruitment assistance in connection with this advertisement.   

You can read more about the benefits of working in Sweden here: https://sweden.se/collection/working-in-sweden/     

Application   

You apply for this position via Malmö University's recruitment system by clicking on the "Apply" button. As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that your application is completed in accordance with the job advertisement, and that it is submitted to the University no later than 9 January 2025. The application must be written in Swedish, English or any of the Nordic languages. As an applicant, you are responsible for the application and its appendices being translated.   

The application must include: 

• Completed application form for admission to Research Education PDF
• Curriculum Vitae with contact details for up to three professional references (including title, affiliation, email address, phone number, and the relationship to the applicant).
• Certified scans of diplomas, transcript of records and other certificates relevant for the position.
• A research plan of up to 3000 words excluding references. The research plan must contain an overall purpose, questions that the project intends to answer, an account of the theoretical framework and the methodological approach and a description of research material.
• Independent work at advanced level (including master thesis or equivalent).
• A personal letter up to 500 words

Miscellaneous   

Preparation of admission to postgraduate education and employment as a doctoral student take place in parallel. Only those who are or have been admitted to third-cycle courses and study programmes at a higher education may be appointed to doctoral studentships (Chapter 5, Section 3 of the Higher Education Ordinance). 

The doctoral studentship is a fixed-term position comprising four years of full-time studies, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 5 Section 7. A doctoral student shall be employed for an indefinite period but for no longer than until a specified date, and never for longer than a year after the doctoral degree or artistic doctoral degree has been completed. The first appointment must be limited to one year at the most. The appointment can be extended by a maximum of two years at a time.

Malmö University actively promotes gender equality and equal opportunities in order to offer a workplace and a university characterised by an open and inclusive approach.

As part of this:

• applicants of an underrepresented gender are given priority for admission, if they are equally able to benefit from the programme.
• doctoral students with permanent disabilities are given the opportunity to receive support and adaptations during their studies, so that everyone can study on equal terms in a good study environment.

Malmö University is a workplace and higher education institution that is characterised by an open and inclusive approach, where gender equality and equal terms add value to our activities.   

Malmö University applies salary setting for doctoral students in accordance with a local agreement on salary setting for doctoral students. 

Start date   

1 September 2025  

Union representatives   

OFR Bodil Sterner: bodil.sterner@mau.se

SACO-S Mats Syde: mats.syde@mau.se

PhD Student Union representative 

doktorandkaren@mau.se

 

We are looking forward to receiving your application!